Agricultural Economic Development
Polk County Farmers Markets:
- Saluda Tailgate Market: A bustling market located up the hill. This market features food vendors from our region selling some of the best tasting and healthiest produce, meat, eggs, baked goods, and more.
- Runs May through October
- Fridays 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- Off of W. Main Street, Saluda, NC
- Saluda Winter Market: Held indoors at the Saluda Center (64 Greenville St, Saluda, NC 28773). Vendors feature locally grown and raised meat, produce, and eggs. In addition to the staple food products, you may also find handmade crafts, pottery, and beauty products.
- Every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month
- Runs November through April
- 9am - 12 noon
- Columbus Farmers Market: Join dozens of vendors each Saturday for an amazing assortment of the region's best homegrown produce, meat, cheese, eggs, and more. See amazing arts and crafts and value-added products.
- Runs every Saturday, May through October
- 8:00 a.m. to noon
- On Courthouse Street, Columbus, NC
- Shop local produce, meats, greens, baked goods, and crafts
- Columbus Winter Market: An indoor market held at Iron Key Brewing (135 Locust St, Columbus, NC 28722) featuring local food and handmade crafts.
- 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month
- Runs from November through April
- 9am - 12 noon
The purpose of the Agricultural Economic Development office is to encourage, support and maintain growing agricultural enterprises in Polk County.
Objectives:
- Marketing Polk County’s agricultural products and services by creating market opportunities.
- Encourage value-added enterprises.
- Identify trends and support services.
- Assist in training and scaling up agricultural businesses.
- Supporting new farmer enterprises through connection and mentoring opportunities
- Encourage expansion of secondary Agricultural businesses such as distribution and marketing, business planning, support business such as dry goods, seeds, implements, equipment, etc.
- Maintaining an appropriate agricultural land base to support a viable agricultural economy in Polk County specifically through Farmland Preservation and other conservation programs
- Encourage value-added enterprises. Identify trends and support services. Assist in training and scaling up agricultural businesses.
The Agricultural Economic Development Office is supported by the Agricultural Advisory Board.
Agricultural Economic Development
Mill Spring Agricultural Center
Mill Spring Agricultural Center
156 School Rd, Suite 111
Mill Spring, NC 28756
Mill Spring, NC 28756
Info@Polkcountyfarms.org
(828) 894-2281
www.polkcountyfarms.org
Links to Tools and Resources
- Agricultural Tourism Signs - North Carolina Department of Transportation
Standard Practice A-7
https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/safety/Teppl/TEPPL%20All%20Documents%20Library/signs.pdf - Interlocal Cooperation - UNC School of Government
http://www.sog.unc.edu/programs/interlocalcoop/ - One North Carolina Naturally - North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
http://www.onencnaturally.org/ - North Carolina Department of Commerce - Division of Community Assistance
http://www.dca.commerce.state.nc.us - North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu - North Carolina Division of Soil and Water Conservation
https://deq.nc.gov/ - North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
http://www.ncagr.gov/
- The Conservation Trust for North Carolina
http://www.ctnc.org - North Carolina Land Trusts provided by The Conservation Trust for North Carolina
https://ctnc.org/get-involved/conservation-options/ - American Farmland Trust
http://www.farmland.org - Land Trust Alliance
http://www.lta.org - Land Loss Prevention Project
http://www.landloss.org/ - The Trust for Public Land
http://www.tpl.org - The Nature Conservancy
http://www.tnc.org
- Institute of Government - The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
https://www.sog.unc.edu/